The Japan Rail Pass Map: Understanding the Japan Rail Network
Riding the train in Japan
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The vast network of public transportation operated by the Japan Rail Group (the organization that issues the Japan Rail Pass) traverses the entirety of the country’s mainland.
From the very top of Hokkaido to the most southern part of Kyushu, the JR Group has travel options that visitors to the country can utilize to get around the country in a convenient and efficient manner. These include high-speed Shinkansen trains, overnight trains, local trains, buses, and even ferries, and with the Japan Rail Pass, a vast majority of these facilities are available to pass holders!
The map to the left gives a general outline of the national Japan Railway network and routes that are accessible with the pass along with a number of noteworthy destinations throughout the country.
Take the time to see how your desired destinations are connected via these trainlines (be them via Shinkansen, JR Line, or a combination of both), and plan your itinerary with this in mind!
On this map, the green lines represent Shinkansen high-speed bullet train routes and the gray lines are standard JR Routes. Both provide wide-ranging coverage across the Japanese archipelago, though, between major city destinations like Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka, the Shinkansen will be the more convenient choice. Access to Hokkaido can be done via Shinkansen up to Hakodate, and from there, local trains and buses can be ridden with the JR Pass to the capital of Sapporo and the rest of the island.
Map of the Japan Rail Pass network
@Japan Experience
Travel times between destinations
For many travelers, the "Golden Route" is a popular means of traversal to build an itinerary upon. This route consists of visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, and then Hiroshima. As seen on the map, Narita Airport is highlighted, as transit between this airport in Chiba Prefecture to the central part of the metropolitan capital of Tokyo is included with the Japan Rail Pass via the Narita Express.
Traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto is often done via the Hikari Shinkansen train and takes around 2 hours and 40 minutes. Kyoto and Hiroshima are directly connected via the Nozomi Shinkansen lines, however, the Nozomi bullet trains (along with Mizuho Line Shinkansen trains) are not rideable with the pass, so travelers ought to use their passes to go to Shin-Osaka from Kyoto and then out to Hiroshima for full coverage with the Sakura Shinkansen. This takes around 1 hour 30 minutes total.
Hiroshima to Fukuoka can be done on the same Sakura Shinkansen or any of the Kodama Shinkansen and will take anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hours. Use Fukuoka as a basis in Kyushu as cities like Nagasaki, Beppo, and Kagoshima can be traveled to directly with local train lines or the Kyushu Shinkansen trains like the Kamome.
Access to Hokkaido can be done via Shinkansen from Tokyo up to Hakodate, and from there, the Super Hokuto Express Train can be ridden with the JR Pass to the capital of Sapporo and takes around 3.5 hours. Other trains and buses can be used to get to the rest of the island.
| Itinerary | Train Type | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo > Kyoto | Hikari Shinkansen | ~2h 40m |
| Kyoto > Hiroshima (via Shin-Osaka) | Sakura Shinkansen | ~1h 30m |
| Hiroshima > Fukuoka | Sakura Shinkansen/ Kodama Shinkansen | ~1h to ~1h 30m |
| Tokyo > Hakodate | Hayabusa Shinkansen | ~4h |
| Hakodate > Sapporo | Limited Hokuto Express | ~3h 30m |
Other Transportation Options
The above map is only a general representation of the Japan Rail Group's train network. Within many cities in Japan, the local train is able to be ridden with the pass for smooth local travel. In addition, there are a number of different travel options available aside from trains with the Japan Rail Pass. These include a number of bus routes in different parts of Japan, the Tokyo Monorail, and even the ferry out to Itsukishima in Hiroshima. Be sure to utilize all these transportation options to get around Japan and get the most value out of the pass.
Japan Railway Regional Branches
Japan Railways is divided into a number of different organizations. While these different divisions operate individually, together, they make up the entirety of the Japan Railway Network that pass users have access to. These organizations are divided as follows:
- JR East (JR 東日本）
- JR Central (JR 東海）
- JR West (JR 西日本）
- JR Hokkaido (JR 北海道）
- JR Shikoku (JR 四国）
- JR Kyushu (JR 九州）
Divison of Japan Railway Regional Branches
@Wikimedia
